Channeling-machine



No. 623,325. Patented Apr. I8, I899.

A. F. LITTLEFIELD.

CHANNELING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 10, 1898.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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m. 623,325. Patented m l8, I899; A. F. LI TTLEFIELD. CHANNELINB Momma.

(Application filed Inn. 10, 1898.) I a Sheets-:Shuet 2.

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No. 623,325. Patented A pr. l 8, I899. A. F. LlT-TLEFIELD;

CHANNELING MACHINE.

(Application 510d Tan. 10, 1898.)

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GHANNELlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,325, dated April18, 1899.

Application filed January 10, 1898. Serial No. 666,163. (No model.)

T 0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTINE FRANK LIT- TLEFIELD, of Lynn, Essexcounty, Massachusetts,have invented an Improved Channeling- Machine, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of achannelingmachine embodying my improvements. Fig. 1 is a view from theside opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Fig. 4 is a side elevation oftheswingingframeandconnected parts. Fig. 5 is a plan of the swinging frame.Fig. (3 is a side elevation of the rising frame and connected parts.Fig. 7 is a plan of the rising frame. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of theswinging frame and connected parts.

I have shown in the drawings and shall describe in this specification achanneling-knife which is-vibratory or reciprocating, that being, Ibelieve, the most useful, the knife being moved back and forth rapidlyby a carrier, to the outer end of which it is secured, the cuttingaction of the knife taking place when the knife is moving in a directionop posite to that in which the leather is being fed and the feedingaction of the leather being in part accomplished while the knife ismaking its back stroke, the movement of the leather being continuous. Inthis way the channel is cut by a series of short strokes of the knife.The knife is withdrawn after every stroke and again forced forwardagainst the moving leather. The practical result of this method offorming the channel is that it can be out without heating, straining, orbinding, while the tendency to dig in, caused by variations in thedensity of the stock, is obviated by the withdrawal and fresh start at 4every stroke, an d for the same reason changes in the direction of thechannel are easily made, it being easy to pivot in order to channelaround a sharppointed toe part of a sole.

In the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, 13 the mainshaft, and B the driving-pulley on that shaft. The main shaft is carriedin bearings b b b, and between bearings Z) U the shaft is formed as aneccentric b and between bearings b b it is formed as an eccentric I).(See Fig. 2.) A

fork cl embraces eccentric b the fork d being carried at the free end ofan arm D, whose other end is fast to an upright pivoted shaft D. Thefork dis secured on arm D by means of a tang d and a nut (P, the objectof this mode of connection being to allow the shaft D to be lifted whilein operation and to permit the fork to turn slightly as the arm D swingsin order .that the inner faces of the fork may preserve a properrelation to the surface of the eccentric-shaft, as will be obvious. Theshaft D is supported at the bottom by an adjusting-screw d in the frameof the machine and is steadied by bearings d d, fast to a rising frame DThis rising frame D carries, besides the knife-shaft D, a feedwheel Eand a presser-foot F, the feed-wheel being upon the end of a shaft 6',carried in a bearing in the rising frame D and connected by a universaljoint 6 with a shaft 6 which is driven through a pinion e the pinion eand the shaft 6 being supported by a bearing a on the frame A of themachine. The presserfoot F is fast to theframe D At its upper end theshaft D is pressed downward by a spring d, the pressure of which isregulated by a screw (1 the ends of the spring bearing upon collars (Z du pon the screw 61 at the head of the shaft D, respectively, and thescrew working in a bracket a on the frame of the machine. At the bottomof shaft D is a knifecarrier D properly'formed to receive and retain theknife (1 the function of which is to cut the feather-edge or shoulderupon the edge of the sole.

It will be clear that the shaft D is capable of upward movement againstthe force of spring (1, and that it may be moved in either directionupon its axis, and that at each revolution of shaft B the arm D will bemoved to and fro upon its axis through the fork (Z engaging theeccentric part b of the shaft B. The pivoted shaft D will therefore berocked and the knife d vibrated.

Mounted upon a screw-threaded portion of shaft D are a nut d and acheck-nut 61 the nut (Z being set down upon or nearly upon the top ofthe rising frame D so that any upward movement of the frame will carrywith it the shaft D. The rising frame is supported upon a spring-rod G,to the upper end of which it is fast, this rod G having a capacity forupward movement in bearings in the frame of the machine against theforce of the spring g. It will now be obvious that any variation in thethickness of the stock fed to the machine (the revolving table uponwhich the stock is supported being carried in bearings in the frame ofthe machine) will,thr0ugh the presserfoot F, which is fast to the risingframe D lift the rising frame and those parts carried by itnamely, thefeed-wheel E and the shaft D-the shaft D being forced up through nut dagainst the force of spring d and the entire frame being forced upagainst the force of spring g on rod G, so that as soon as the thicknesshas passed under the presser-foot the frame D and the shaft D will bethrown down again by the springs d and g. The joints and bearings ofshaft 6 are loose in order to' permit this slight upward movement causedby uneven stockwithout undue strain or binding, and the connectionbetween the shaft D and the eccentric Z) on shaft B being by a fork dupward movement of the parts has no effect upon the connection.

Themechanism which has so far been described is related exclusively tothe operation of the feed-wheel E and the shaft D, which carries theknife for cutting the featheredge channel, so called.

Upon the opposite side of the feed-wheel E from the knife-carrier D andthe presserfoot F is another knife-carrier, which carries the knife forcutting the channel, and a corresponding presser-foot for regulating thedepth of that channel. This knife'carrier, its operating-shaft, and thepresser-foot are carried by a swinging frame H (see Fig. 4,) pivoted ata to the frame A of themachine. This swinging frame is formed in twoparts. That part which is pivoted directly to the frame of the machineis shown in plan at Fig.5, and this part carries the main shaft B,withits two eccentric portions 11 b". The swinging frame Haas has beensaid,is pivoted at a to the frame A of the machine, and by thisarrangement the k nife-carrier Hiknife hland presserfoot J may be liftedwhenever the rising frame D is raised, the carrier, knife, andpresser-foot swinging upon the arc of a circle of which a is the centerwhenever the rising frame L in rising, through screw d, tilts frame HObviously, also, if itis not desired to lift the knife 7L7 to correspondwith every upward movement, however slight, of frame D and its knife (Zby adjusting screw (1. down any required play within certain limits canbe given to knife (Z without affecting knife 7L The tilting of swingingframe H by the passage of an inequality under presser foot J will not,obviously, in any way affect the feather-edge knife d which is carriedby rising frame D because swinging frame H is not fast to the risingframe, but merely projects over a part of the rising frame D and is thusin the path of that frame when it lifts. The connecting-bolt h merelypreserves the relations of the two frames in respect of displacementcrosswise of the length of the frames, but permits changes of relativeposition in a perpendicular direction. For the purpose of placing stockin the machine to be operated upon the lifting of the rising frame willraise also the swinging frame through screw C The working of thefeather-edge knife, which is operated by shaft D, by the eccentric b hasalready been described. The eccentric 12 works the shaft H, whichcarries at its lower end the knife-carrier H The connection between theshaft H and the eccentricb on shaft 13 is made by an arm I I',pinned toshaft H and carrying a fork 72, which is secured to the arm H by a tang7t and nut It? all much the same as the means employed to connect shaftD with shaft 13. The shaft II is carried, however, by a part H of theswinging frame H which part H is mounted upon the outer end of the framein such a fashion as to be capable of limited lateral adjustment underthe control of adjustingscrews, as will be plain from an inspection ofFigs. 4, 5, and 8.

In Fig. 8 the control of part H is most plainly shown, theadjusting-screw being marked 72. This adjusting-screw is held by abracket 77) fast to the outer end of frame H the head of the screw beingupon the outer side of the bracket and a collar fast to the screw hbeing upon the inner side of the bracket. The screw-threaded point ofscrew h 'enters a screw-threaded aperture in part H When the adjListing-screw is turned, it will be clear that as the screw itself isheld against longitudinal movement the part H must move according as thescrew is turned.

By means of this lateral adjustment of part H the relative position ofknife 7L7 with regard to knife (Z may be altered so as to bring it toeither side of knife d, as may be desired. The outer end of the mainpart of the swinging frame is slotted to permit of the passage of theshaft H and the presser-foot J and to afford room for lateral movementof the two shafts. The arm H carries upon its upper surface about midwayof its length a bracket for the adjusting-screw 77. of the presser-foot.The adjusting-screw h for the shaft H iscarried by the part H of theswinging frame. The presser-foot is pinned to the arm H by a set-screw,and it is also connected tothe shaft H at its lower end by a bracket7L5. The knife-carrier H upon the lower end of the shaft H projects tobring the knife 7L7 in line with the 'presser-foot. It will now be clearthat the revolution of shaft B will par-.

when the set-screws which connect the shaft and presser-foot to theiroperating parts are loosened to permit of perpendicular adjustment.

A spring-rod M is pinned to the swinging frame, (see Fig. 4,) the upperend of which passes through an aperture in a bracket a on bearingagainst the frame of the machine.

Another adjusting-screw c1 (see Figs. 6 and 1) on the rising frame bearsagainst the under side of the swinging frame; A headed bolt 71., fast tothe swinging frame and passing through an aperture in the rising frame,binds the two frames together against lateral movement, while permittinga change in their relative positions perpendicularly.

The revolving table K, which supports the stock, is carried in a bearing7; in the frame of the machine and is driven through beveled gears 7; kshaft 7& and pinion M from the crank-pinion which drives also thefeedwheel pinion e the proportions of the pinions being such as to givethe same -surface speed to the table K and the feed-wheel E. The edgeguide L slides in bearings in the frame of the machine and is'controlledby a bellcrank lever l and spring-rod Z, the spring Z of which keeps theedge guide pressed to place until retracted by the foot of the operator.

The mode of operation is as follows: The adjustment of the knives andtheir respective presser-feet having been determined by means of theadjusting-screws (Z (Z k 7L 7%, the spring-rod G is first lifted by theoperator against the force of its spring g. This lifts the rising frameD and everything carried by that frame. It also lifts the swinging frameI1 and everything carried by that frame through the adj listing-screw (Zwhich bears against the bottom of the swinging frame. The sole to bechanneled is then placed upon the table K, and the rod G be ing releasedthe knives are pressed down upon the upper surface of the sole by thesprings (Z and m. The shaft Bis then set in motion, causing the knives(Z and 7L7 to be vibrated orreciprocated, and the crank-pinion 75 beingrevolved the feed-wheel E and table K feed the stock, the feed-wheelpressing against the stock with a pressure determined by the adjustmentof spring 9 and serving, in addition to its feeding function, thepurpose of a supplementary presser-foot for both knives. Any variationin the thickness It will be obvious that this of the stock passing underpresser-foot F will lift frame D shaft D, and the knife (Z which itcarries, the presser-foot F being clamped to the frame D The lifting,however, will not affect the continued operation of the shaft D, for bymeans of the siot-and-eccentric connection (see Fig. 2) the connectionof the arm D with the shaft B is not affected. The lifting will beaccomplished against the force of spring g, which will throw the frame Ddown as soon as it is permitted to do so. Any variation in the thicknessof the stock passing under the presser-foot J will lift the swingingframe 11 the presser-foot J being fast to that frame, against the forceof spring on, which will throw frame H down as soon as it is permittedto do so.' Obviously the lifting of frame H will not affect theoperation of shaft H, which is driven by a slot-and-eccentrio connectionwith shaft B, as is shaft D.

The adjustment of the relations of the shaft H and the carrier H and theknife M, which it carries, with presser-foot J and the fixingof thedepth of the channel are effected by loosening the set-screw whichconnects the presser-foot J with the arm 11. The presserfoot may then beadjusted to any required position with regard to the carrier H and whenthe presser-foot is again connected to the arm both shaft H andpresser-foot J, so connected to it, may be raised or lowered together bymeans of screw 71.

What I claim is 1. In a channelingmachine, the combination of afeed-table carried by the frame of the machine; arising frame;afeed-wheel carried by the rising frame; an arm pivoted in that risingframe and carrying a slotted piece at its end; an eccentric adapted torotate within that slot and a knife moved by the movement of the arm,all organized and operating substantially as described.

2. In a channeling-machine, the combination of a revolving feed-tablecarried by the frame of the machine; a rising frame; a feedwheel and apivot-shaft carried in that frame; an arm fast to the pivot-shaft andcarrying a slotted piece at its free end; an eccentric adapted to rotatewithin that slot and a knife secured to the pivot-shaft, all organizedand operating substantially as described.

3. In a channeling-machine, the combination of a frame; a pivot-shaftcarried in that frame and longitudinally adjustable; a knifecarrier fastto the shaft; an arm fast to the shaft; means to swing the arm and itspivotshaft; a presser-foot detachably secured to the arm; all organizedto permit adjustment between the knife-carrier and presser-foot and toswing the carrier and presser-foot together with the pivot-shaft,substantially as described. j

4. In a channeling-machine, the combina tion of a feed-table and afeed-wheel; a reciprocating knife upon each side of the feedwheel; apivoted knife-carrier for each knife and an eccentric-and-slotconnection between knives upon each side of the feed-wheel; a i

each knife-carrier and the driving-shaft, all each other, and aneccentric-and-slot eonnec- IO organized and operating substantially asdetion between each knife-carrier and the drivscribed. ing-shaft, allorganized and operating sub- 5. In a channeling-machine, theeoznbinastantially as described; tion of a feed-table and a feed-Wheel;moving AUGUSTINE FRANK LITTLEFIELD Witnesses:

M. L. ANDREWS, O. R. MITCHELL.

pivoted knife-carrier for each knife; means to vary the relativehorizontal and vertical position of the knife-carriers With regard to

